Wood-distilling apparatus.



No. 738,153. PATENTED SEPT. 8, 1903.

G. W. BILFINGER. WOOD DISTILLING APPARATUS.

APPLIOATION FILED JULY 11, 1903.

NO MODEL.

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Q g a 5 NORRIS vzvzas cc. wonzmmo, WASNIHGTON n r No. 738,158. PATENTED SEPT. 8, 1903.

W. BILFINGBR. WOOD DISTILLING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 11; 1903.

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C. W. BILF INGER. WOOD DISTILLI'NG APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 11, 1903.

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Flo. 738,153.

NITED STATES Fatefnted September 8, 190? PATENT ()FFICE.

WOOD-T-DISTILLING APPARATUS;

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 738,153, dated September 3, 1903.

Application filed July 11,1903. Serial No- 165,167. (No model.)

To (LZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CARL W. BILFINGER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Fayetteville, in the county of Cumberland and State of North Carolina, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Wood- Distilling Apparatus; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention, which relates to the art of destructive distillation of pine and other resinous woods for the extraction therefrom of turpentine and other products, including charcoal, contemplates the production of an improved wood distilling apparatus constructed on simple and durable lines to be operated economically to obtain'improved disassociated products.

The nature of the invention, the mode of operation, and the resultant advantages are fully and clearly set forth in the following detailed description, in connection with which attention is called to the accompanying drawings, illustrating the improved apparatusin its preferred form of embodiment, it being understood that various modifications may be made therein without exceeding the scope of the invention defined by the concluding claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a wood-distillin g apparatus embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional View of the furnace and retorts taken on line Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional 2 2 of Fig. 3. View on line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a. vertical sectional view on line 4 4 of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view taken through the heavy-oils receptacle and condenser.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, l designates the furnace, in which are supported two retorts 2 3. Obviously, the number of the retorts may be increased or diminished, dependent upon the desired capacity of the apparatus. The furnace, which is constructed of masonry, has in its base a fire-box 4 similar to the fire-box set forth in the application of myself and Clarence F. Hallock, filed April 25, 1903, Serial No. 154,289, said fire-box being preferably located between the retorts and adapted more particularly for wood consumption, the fire-box being of-rectangular form and having the air-draft inlet 5 above its imperforate bottom, whereby the fuel is slowly consumed to produce a maintained degree of heat. The retorts, which are preferably of elliptical form in horizontal section, extend at their upper ends above the furnace, and at the top of each retort is a wood charging opening having a suitable cover 6. The retorts are supported within the furnace above the top of the fire-box, and openings are provided in the furnace-wall to afford access to discharge-outlets in the base of the retorts for the charcoal, which outlets are closed by covers or doors 7.

Leading from the rear end of the fire-box are fines 8, which conduct the products of combustion around the retorts. In order to eifect a distribution of the heat uniformly over the retort-surfaces, the products of combustion are caused to pass by a circuitous path to the chimney, which path is arranged to expose the entire surface of the retorts, with the exception of the base portion, to the products, the base portion being inclosed by masonry to protect it from direct contact with the flames. The products of combustion entering a fine 8 pass upwardly by a vertical flue 9 in the rear f urnace-wall around the retort above the protecting masonry. The furnace-wall contacts with the retort at the rear and front thereof, but is free from contact with the sides, whereby are formed spaces, each of which is divided by horizontal partitions 1O 10 into a series of horizontal fiues ll 11, having alternate end communication, as shown more clearly in Fig. 3. The products of combustion leaving the fine 9 enter the lowermost fine 11 and pass in contact with the retort-surface to the forward end of the retort. Thence by the opening provided at the end of the lowermost partition the products are led into the horizontal flue ll 5 IOO from the chimney 12. By reference to Fig. 2 it will be seen that the described arrangement of horizontal fines is employed at each side of each retort, and inasmuch as the end contact between the furnace and retort-walls is of but slight extent practically the whole surface of the retort, with the exception of its base portion, is subjected directly to the action of a uniform heat derived from the products of combustion. Each of the retorts is provided centrally in its base with a screened tar-outlet 13, to which the bottom 14 slopes, and leading from said outlet or Well is a horizontal tar-conduit 15 in communication with a tar-discharge pipe 16, leading into the retort. The pipe 16 discharges into a receptacle 17, which may be a trough common to both retorts. The tar discharging from the pipes 16 16 of the two retorts accumulates in the receptacle 17 and is drawn off therefrom from time to time in any suitable manner.

Steam is admitted to the retorts to facilitate distillation by a pipe 18, leading from a suitable generator, and preferably the steam is superheated before its admission by an arrangement of piping which includes a coil 19 or the like in the center of each retort. In the preferred arrangement the steam-pipe, following the directions shown by the double-headed arrows in Figs. 2, 3, and at, enters the fur nace-wall and passes through one of the horizontal lines and is consequently in the path of the products of combustion. Leaving the furnace at its upper end the steam-pipe enters the first retort at its top and is coiled therein or preferably is, as shown, built in a serpentine form. The pipe leaves the retort near its base and traverses the flues at the second retort, after which it enters and leaves the second retort and finally may extend along the bottom of the tar receptacle or trough to warm the contents, as shown at 18, Figs. 1 and 4:, and pass through the wall of the receptacle and exhaust outside of the latter. The superheated steam is supplied to the retorts from the steam-pipe by branch pipes 20 20, leading into the bases of the retorts. The provision of the serpentine-pipe formation in the center of each retort results in a uniform heating of the material, the Wood in the center of the retort which is farthest from the heat of the products of combustion being heated by the steam-pipe. By this uniform distribution of heat the process of distillation is materially hastened.

Leading from the upper end of each retort is a pipe 21, forming the conduit for the evaporated products ofdistillation. The pipe leads to a condenser 22, being connected with acoil 23 therein, and terminates in valved discharge-outlets, presently to be described. The pipe 21 between its connections with the retort and condensing-coil is approximately of U form and has at its lowest point an ou let branch 24E, depending into a receptacle 25. The heavierliquid portion, which is produced in the pipe by condensation, flows from the pipe and branch into the receptacle 25, the branch 24 being of sufficient length to extend below the liquid-level, which is maintained by an overflow-pipe 26, delivering into a trough 27. It will be understood from the construction that the liquid of condensation flows to the discharge-outlet from the pipe in both directions, and only the lighter products pass into the condensing-coil 23. The condenser consists of a casing open at its top and into which water is fed from a supply-pipe 28. 29 is an overflow-pipe leading from the condenser-casing near its upper end for maintaining the proper water-level.

Connected to the lower end of the coil 23 is a pipe 30, having a trap 31 and provided beyond the trap with valved discharge-outlets 32 32, preferably three in number, which deliver into the funnel-mouths of a series of pipes 33 33. outlets and the corresponding receiving-pipes is to obtain from the apparatus at the dilferent stages of the operation the different grades of turpentine each disassociated from the others, it being understood that when one valve is opened the others are closed and the pipe discharges from a single outlet. To vent the pipe 30 of uncondensed gases or vapors, there is provided a pipe 34, which leads from the pipe 30 in advance of the trap 31. The pipe 30 beyond the trap is arranged below the plane thereof in advance of the trap, as shown more clearly in Fig. 5.

I claim as my invention- 1. A wood-distilling apparatus comprising, in combination, a retort, means for heating the retort, a tar-outlet leading from the base of the retort, a condenser, a condenser-pipe connecting the retort and condensing-coil at their upper ends said pipe being approximately U-shaped, an outlet branch at the lowest point of said pipe, a receiver for the liquid of condensation discharging from said branch, a pipe connected with the lower end of the condensing-coil and having a vent branch pipe, a liquid-trap and valved outlets beyond said trap, and a liquid-conducting pipe at each of said valved outlets.

2. In a wood-distilling apparatus, a retort having an outlet in its lower end for liquid products of distillation, an outlet in its top for evaporated products, a pipe connected with the lower outlet, a receiver into which said pipe depends, a steam-pipe entering the retort at its top and extending in serpentine form centrally through the retort and leaving the latter at its lower end, a steam-discharge branch leading from the steam-pipe into the retort, and a branch steam-pipe extending along the bottom of the receiver.

3. In a wood-distilling apparatus, a retort, a furnace inclosiug the retort having below The purpose of the three valved the retort a Wood-burning fire-box provided In testimony whereof I affix my signature with an air-draft opening above an imperf0 in presence of two Witnesses.

rate bottom, a flue leading from the rear end of the fire-box, and a zigzag flue at each side CARL BILFINGER' of the retort into which the aforesaid flue Witnesses: leads, the lowermost flue-passage being above JESSE W. WALTERS, the base of the retort. ERNEST G. SIOARD. 

